


understanding

by graveExcitement (arachnids)



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Gen, Genderqueer, Genderqueer Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-11
Updated: 2013-03-11
Packaged: 2017-12-05 00:57:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/717039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arachnids/pseuds/graveExcitement
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nonbinary Pyro usually doesn't care about whether they are understood, but pronouns are a different issue. Written for the <a href="http://gqff.livejournal.com/1041.html">2013 Genderqueer Fanworks Fest</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	understanding

**Author's Note:**

> Not the same Pyro from [Lighter](http://archiveofourown.org/works/709808). Slight Pyro/Engineer shippiness, with emphasis on slight; it's very gen.

It was hard to write intelligibly while wearing thick gloves, so Pyro did not often attempt to communicate in this fashion. The gas mask they always wore made verbal communication difficult as well, but their teammates had learned how to translate their muffled speech in the heat of battle, and that was when communication was the most important.

Even if Pyro wasn't wearing gloves, and even if Pyro's burnt right hand didn't make writing difficult in the first place, they would not have written out what they wished to say. Oftentimes they did not have much to say at all; in any case, it was easier to speak than to write, and if that meant Pyro was often not fully understood, that was fine.

But there was one thing, just one, that Pyro felt their teammates needed to understand, outside of battle. So one Saturday, sitting in Engineer's workshop and listening to him ramble on about possible upgrades to teleporters, Pyro tugged out a piece of paper from underneath a small pile of scrap metal, scavenged around until they found a pencil on the floor, and scribbled, in large, crude lettering:

THEY, NOT SHE  
OR HE

They tugged at Engineer's wrist, showed him the paper. He paused in his animated rambling and blinked at what he read. "Who do you mean, pardner?"

Pyro pointed to themself. 

"Oh. Um. They." Engineer seemed a little unsure of what to do with this information. "I'll keep that in mind, firebug."

Pyro smiled, not that Engineer could see it, and settled back down to hear more of Engineer's technical descriptions, and later that night, his stories.

Engineer didn't find it hard to start referring to Pyro as 'they', because their gender had always been unknown to the team anyways. Most of the rest of the team started doing so as well, following Engineer's lead - which was a relief, because explaining could be a little awkward.

Heavy had commented, "Thought 'they' is multiple people."

"That's usually the case," Engineer had explained, scratching the back of his neck, "but it can also be a first-person gender neutral pronoun."

Luckily, Heavy had no further questions, but Scout had required some actual explaining. It wasn't until Engineer had told him that Pyro had specifically requested to be called 'they' that Scout stopped objecting.

"I can't believe you traded away cooking to Pyro of all people," Spy complained one day, leaning against the door to Engineer's workshop. 

Each week, the team was assigned chores in order to keep the base in a semblance of cleanliness. "Don't be absurd, Spah," said Engineer, crossing his arms. 'You know they make darn good breakfast. Asides from the bacon." The bacon, unfortunately, tended to be quite charred when cooked by Pyro. "Besides, dishwashing's an easy enough job."

Spy snorted. "Well, if they burn down the kitchen, the responsibility's on your shoulders, Laborer," he said loftily, before strolling away.

Engineer rolled his eyes. From his right he heard footsteps; he turned to see Pyro approaching.

"Not gonna happen," said Pyro, though their mask caused the words to come out as "Nt g'nna hpn."

"Of course not," replied Engineer with a smile, opening the door to his workshop.

Before he could enter, Pyro wrapped their arms around him. "Thanks," they murmured, muffled as always.

For a split second, Engineer stiffened in surprise, but he understood. It wasn't just because he had defended Pyro to Spy, and he knew it. "You're darn welcome, Firebug," he said quietly, returning the hug. He couldn't see it, but they were beaming.


End file.
